FIG. 1 depicts a conventional method 10 for fabricating conventional magnetic devices, such as read or write transducers. A photoresist layer is provided, via step 12. In some structures, for example for fabrication of poles, the photoresist layer may be desired to be thick, on the order of one to two microns or more. In other structures being fabricated, the photoresist layer may be thin. For example, the photoresist layer may be one-quarter to one-half micron. The photoresist layer typically covers substantially all of the substrate.
The substrate on which the magnetic device is fabricated includes a number of fields that are exposed separately. The fields are typically aligned in an array of rows and columns. The fields of the magnetic device are exposed in a particular sequence, termed a conventional exposure sequence, via step 14. The conventional exposure sequence is otherwise known as a step-and-scan or step-and-flash. The conventional exposure sequence is automatically determined. Typically, the conventional exposure sequence appears to be random in nature. In other words, there appears to be no relationship between a current field being exposed and the fields exposed before and after the current field. However, in such a random scan, the sequence is automatically determined based on optimizing throughput. Alternatively, a meander scan might be used as the conventional exposure sequence. In such a case, the fields are exposed in order, row by row or, in what is considered to be an equivalent exposure sequence, column-by-column. For example, a first field in a row would be exposed, then the next, adjacent field in the row, and so on until all fields in the row had been exposed. The next, adjacent row would then commence. The exposure sequence would continue field-by-field and row and row-by-row until the device exposure is completed. Thus, a pattern is defined in the conventional photoresist layer.
The pattern in the conventional photoresist layer is transferred to form the magnetic device, via step 16. Step 16 might include removing a portion of the underlying magnetic recording device layer(s) and/or depositing additional layers. Thus, steps 12-16 may be taken when utilizing conventional photolithography in forming the conventional magnetic recording device. Fabrication of the conventional PMR head 30 may then be completed.
Although the conventional method 10 may be used to form the conventional magnetic device, there may be drawbacks. In particular, there may be variations in the overlay of layers in the conventional magnetic device. For example, during fabrication of a perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) pole, it is desirable for the main pole tip to be aligned with other structures in magnetic recording transducer. However, there may be some misalignments or offsets in the structures. Consequently, performance of the conventional magnetic recording device may suffer.